Elderflower cordial / elderflower champagne

ampersand · 28 May 2009 at 4:51AM

For the first time in years I am in England while my elder is flowering[and holding despite the cack wind and weather, suddenly arrived since weekend].

Does anyone have an up-to-date take on the sterilising process necessary, rather than than the more laborious method in my old country wines & cordials book?

Is there now a substitute for standing sealed/screwed bottles in a dbl-bottomed boiler for 20 mins and using sealing wax etc.etc?

Thankyou for any help or other elderflower recipes.

Gigervamp · 28 May 2009 at 8:30AM

When we made elderflower champagne last year, we bought Milton sterilising tablets and used those for the fermenting tub and bottles.

bellaquidsin · 28 May 2009 at 8:31AM

When jam making I rinse the jars and place in a warm oven - 180deg for about half an hour to sterilise them.

Was thinking to do the same with bottles as I am hoping to have a go with elderflowers this year.

Would that be good enough? Dunno

Bella.

thriftlady_2 · 28 May 2009 at 8:36AM

I make elderflower cordial and just pour it in a couple bottles that have bneen in a low oven for a few minutes. This is drunk pretty quickly and the rest I pour into freezer tubs and freeze.

ampersand · 30 May 2009 at 6:08AM

Thankyou again everyone.
Thriftlady, your idea to freeze surplus is, of course, ideal and I should have thought of it - but didn't.

I sterilise all bottles, lids, jars anyway in the oven on low.

Any further thoughts on the champagne, or other recipes?

I imagine a good icecream is possible....

Gigervamp · 30 May 2009 at 8:10AM

ampersand wrote: »

.

Any further thoughts on the champagne, or other recipes?

What do you want to know? I posted the recipe that I used for champagne in another thread (might have been the preservers year thread) the other day, so a search should bring it up.
You'll need to bottle the champagne in PLASTIC bottles, NOT glass. This is very important, as it has a tendency to explode, so plastic bottles do a lot less damage than glass would.

ampersand · 30 May 2009 at 8:53AM

That IS a timely note gv - it would never have occurred to me to put it in plastic.
I'd like to keep some long enough to take down to A in July/Aug.
Any advice please...while I go to look for your recipe.

Gigervamp · 30 May 2009 at 10:46AM

We made two batches following that recipe and it made about 16 2 litre bottles. It lasted for almost a year-we finished the last bottle back in March, and it was pretty alcoholic!

We had one bottle explode despite releasing the gas every day. I had the bottles stored in a wooden chest and the force of the explosion ripped two of the front planks off. Luckily, being plastic bottles, that was the only damage done. No shards of glass to fly out.

Nutty_Tart · 1 June 2009 at 11:14AM

We made our first batch of elderflower cordial this weekend. We put ours into 1L plastic bottles and then freeze them. Just give them a good wash out and they are fine. We had enough for 3 bottles this time and hopefully by the weekend there will be some more flowers to pick for another batch. DD was asking if we could do champagne as well this year - could be interesting....

ampersand · 19 June 2009 at 8:13AM

Elderflower champagne question - continued.
Well, it seems to have stopped working and now smells potent in bathroom.
Has it turned to wine?
Shall I rack and bottle it now?
Shall I throw it away?

Advice please?

Gigervamp · 19 June 2009 at 8:47AM

I've replied in the Preservers year thread.

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Elderflower cordial / elderflower champagne

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